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      Spinal Cord Injuries

      Your spinal cord is a column of nerve tissue covered by protective membranes and surrounded by your backbone (vertebrae). Along with your brain, the spinal cord makes up your central nervous system (CNS) and is responsible for relaying messages back and forth between your brain and body. If the spinal cord is injured, it can disrupt this critical signaling pathway and negatively affect critical body functions such as:

      • Muscle movement
      • Breathing
      • Heartbeat
      • Reflexes
      • Sensation
      • Metabolic function (digestion)
      • Intestinal function (bladder and bowel)

      Symptoms

      Spinal cord damage most commonly occurs as a result of a traumatic and sudden event. Spinal cord injuries are classified as either complete or incomplete. The symptoms of a spinal cord injury may differ depending on the type of injury. A complete spinal cord injury results in total loss of function (paralysis) affecting both sides of the body below the area of injury. If all four limbs are affected, the paralysis is called quadriplegia. If only the lower limbs are affected, it is called paraplegia. An incomplete spinal cord injury means some functionality remains in the body, and communication still occurs along certain pathways between the body and brain. Affected areas may be on one or both sides of the body. Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:

      • Difficulty breathing
      • Arm or leg weakness
      • Decreased sensation in the limbs
      • Loss of control in bladder or bowels
      • Pressure or severe pain in the back or neck
      • Unusual lumps along the spine

      Causes

      Most spinal cord injuries result from a traumatic blow to the vertebrae. When these backbones fracture, they can damage the spinal cord and nerves housed underneath. In rare but extreme cases, a spinal cord injury can result in a completely severed spinal cord. The most common causes of these injuries include:

      • Car accidents
      • Gunshot wounds
      • Falls
      • Sports injuries
      • Complications from surgeries

      Risk Factors

      There are several factors that can increase the risk of spinal cord injury. These include:

      • Age: The risk of spinal cord injury increases with age, particularly for those over 65.
      • Physical activities: Engaging in high-risk activities, such as contact sports, extreme sports, or diving, can increase the risk of spinal cord injury.
      • Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as osteoporosis or cancer, can increase the risk of spinal cord injury.

      Diagnosing a Spinal Cord Injury

      An examination will help your doctor diagnose a spinal cord injury. First, they will check to see if the injury is impacting your breathing or heart rate. Then, your spinal cord specialist will assess how well your nerves are working with a physical examination of your motor and sensory function (how well you can move your muscles and feel sensations). Imaging tests will help your doctor diagnose an injury to your spinal cord. Your specialist may request diagnostic tests such as:

      • CT scan: reveals broken bones or damage to blood clots/ vessels
      • MRI: will reveal damage to the spinal cord or adjacent soft tissues
      • X-ray: reveals broken or dislocated vertebrae (backbones)
      • EMG (electromyogram): checks electrical activity between muscles and nerve cells, reveals nerve injuries

      Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

      Unfortunately, there are no known ways to reverse or repair spinal cord injuries completely. However, spinal cord injury treatment has come a long way in helping patients regain as much function as possible. Most spinal cord injury treatment options aim to promote the generation of new nerve cells and improve nerve function after an injury. Partial or even complete recovery has been possible in some patients, while others can experience incremental improvements for up to a year post-injury.

      Immediately after a spinal cord injury, doctors will work to immobilize a patient and prevent further injury to the spinal cord. A corticosteroid injection may be utilized to help preserve nerve function, reduce inflammation, and improve blood flow. Beyond these initial measures, a spinal cord specialist may recommend some of the following treatment options:

      Spinal Cord Surgery

      New advancements in surgical nerve techniques allow spinal cord injury specialists to help patients regain varying degrees of functionality after a spinal cord injury.

      Decompression surgery: your doctor may surgically remove any tissues or fluids that apply pressure on the spinal cord and nerves using a surgical procedure known as decompression laminectomy and/ or nerve decompression surgery.

      Nerve reconstruction surgery: a handful of patients have successfully used nerve reconstruction surgery for paralysis of the arm, hand, or diaphragm. In this procedure, healthy nerves are transplanted or grafted onto non-functioning nerves to help restore function and sensation.

      Your spinal cord specialist will give you detailed instructions on what to expect before, during, and after a spinal cord surgical treatment. Some procedures may take only a few hours on an outpatient basis. However, other procedures may require more extensive work and take longer to complete. The patient may be required to spend time under observation in the days or weeks following the treatment.

      Your spinal cord injury specialists will provide personalized recommendations for what to expect during your recovery period, which may include no strenuous activity for the first 4 - 6 weeks plus limitations on your activities during the first few months following surgery. Bones can take 3-4 months to heal, and nerve endings grow slowly. It can take months or even a year or longer for your recovery process to complete.

      Additional Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

      While some patients may experience a range of improvements after an injury or accident, others may not. For patients who have experienced a complete spinal cord injury, resulting in a total loss of function in all limbs, spinal cord treatments may help improve quality of life after complete paralysis.

      Ventilator dependency: if a patient is dependent on a ventilator for respiratory assistance, a diaphragm pacemaker may be helpful in getting the patient off the ventilator and breathing independently. Electrodes are implanted around the phrenic nerves or directly into the diaphragm muscle. An electrical signal causes the muscle to contract, leading to inhalation and exhalation.

      Pressure sore management: when a patient with paralysis spends too much time lying in one spot, it can cause pressure sores (bed sores) that can lead to wounds and tissue loss. Pressure sore surgical techniques can include flap surgery for closing large open wounds and nerve grafting to restore sensation to the hips and buttocks area. 

      Our Doctors

      The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction is one of the few places in the world where patients can find cutting-edge surgical techniques for nerve reconstruction, paralysis, diaphragm pacemaking, and other specialty procedures related to spinal cord injuries.

      Matthew Kaufman
      Physician

      Matthew Kaufman

      MD, FACS
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      Patient Stories

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      Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Near Me

      The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction makes getting specialized, world-class care as accessible and convenient as possible. We diagnose and treat spinal cord injuries and numerous other conditions at the following locations:

      Insurance Information

      The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction participates in a wide range of insurance plans, including those listed below. However, each physician has their own accepted insurance and hospital affiliations. Before scheduling an appointment, please contact your insurance carrier to confirm that your provider is in-network.

      If we are not an in-network provider, our friendly insurance specialists will help you find the most coverage available for your treatment. 

      • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
      • Medicare
      • Railroad Medicare
      • Aetna
      • Cigna
      • United Healthcare
      • Oxford (Freedom, Liberty)
      • MagnaCare

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      May 13, 2014

      Young Spinal Cord Injury Patient Able to Breathe on His Own

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      September 18, 2013

      Paralyzed Football Player Eric LeGrand Honored by Rutgers University

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      January 19, 2012

      Nerve Transplant for Paraplegic Patients After Spinal Cord Injury: Q&A With Dr. Andrew Elkwood

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      Patient Resources

      Learn more about what to expect when it comes to surgical procedures and treatments at the Institute for Advanced Reconstruction by visiting our patient resource page. 

      Resources

      Am I a candidate for migraine surgery?

      Don’t delay in getting help for a spinal cord injury. Schedule an appointment today and work with a spinal cord injury specialist to determine if surgery can help you regain function or improve your quality of life after a spinal cord injury. 

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